Where the Yoshinobu Yamamoto market stands: 5 potential fits, 1 dark horse

The market for Yamamoto is as widespread as there has been for a free-agent pitcher, and it’s led the estimates for his eventual contract to soar from $200 million to perhaps as high as $300 million.

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New York Mets can throw money at Yoshinobu Yamamoto

If the Mets are serious about Yamamoto, and Cohen’s flight to Japan to meet with the right-hander indicates that they are, they can outbid any team. And it makes the Mets the biggest threat to sign him away from the Dodgers.

Yamamoto is believed to be the Mets’ top priority this offseason, as he would give them a frontline starter that they have desperately needed. If they do miss on Yamamoto, it’s not a sure thing that they would spend that money on a different frontline starter. He may be the exception.

New York Yankees make the most sense in the Big Apple

The Yankees’ top priority this offseason was acquiring Juan Soto. Now that they have Soto, they have turned their attention to Yamamoto – a player they have extensively scouted throughout the last year.

According to reports, the Yankees recently met with Yamamoto and feel confident about their chances of signing the right-hander. No one knows what he is thinking, or what way he is leaning, and he is likely to take some time to figure that out. But with the Dodgers, Mets and Yankees leading the bidding … it’s become increasingly clear that it could take $300 million to sign him.

The Yankees should not be discounted in the Yamamoto sweepstakes at all.

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